despatched to you as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Ballister-ffoulkes
21 November 1666
Cambridge
My dear Isaac,
Your paper has arrived. I haven’t had time to look it over yet, but I shall find time to peruse it during the forthcoming holidays. I am, of course, very interested in what problems concerned you during the summer.
A very merry Christmas to you, my boy.
Is. Barrow
22 November 1666
FROM: Ballistics Research Dept.,
British Army Artillery
TO: Isaac Newton, A.B.,
Woolsthorpe
SUBJECT: Ballistics research data.
ENCLOSURE: Range table sample for 9 lb. artillery.
2nd ENCLOSURE: Outline and general discussion of ballistics 1. In order to better understand the problems facing this Department, you will familiarise yourself with the enclosed material.
2. This material is confidential, and is not to be allowed to fall into unauthorised hands.
By order of the Commanding General
SECOND ENCLOSURE
The purpose of this project is to determine, with as great a degree of precision as possible, the range of artillery used by His Majesty’s Armed Forces, and the methods of accurately firing upon targets at various distances from the cannon.
After a great deal of research, the following factors have been found to affect the distance which a cannon ball may be hurled by exploding gunpowder:
1. Weight of the cannon ball.
2. Weight of powder used.
3. Angle of elevation of cannon.
4. Length of cannon barrel.
The first two factors are obvious; the heavier the cannon ball, the more powder it will take to blow it a certain distance, and contrariwise.
The third is somewhat unwieldly to work with and definitely problematical in its effects. Up to a certain point, increasing the angle seems to increase the range, but after that point is reached, an increase in elevation decreases the range of the weapon. In view of this, it has been decided that all cannon will be fixed at the best angle for maximum range and the other factors varied to change the actual distance the cannon ball is fired.
(Here it may be noted, incidentally, that the angle of elevation is of no use in the Royal Navy, since that angle is indeterminate, due to the roll of the ship.)
The fourth factor, too, may be discarded, since a barrel of too great a length would make it unwieldy on the battlefield, although those of fixed fortresses could be somewhat greater. And, in view of the fact that changing the length of a cannon barrel on the field is out of the question, we may safely say that the fourth factor is a fixed quantity in each cannon and thus ignore it.
It has, therefore, been decided to test each of the various types of cannon presently in use by Army Artillery and publish for each a range table for various cannon balls and charges of powder, and to furnish a copy of such table to the battery leader of each field piece.
This programme, as may well be imagined, has required a great deal of cannon testing in the past year, and will undoubtedly require a great deal more before the project is finished. We hope, however, that it will be of at least limited use in the very near future, and will eventually greatly advance the science of cannon-firing.
2 January 1667
My dear Isaac,
Your Christmas was, I trust, a pleasant one? I hope your mother is in good health, and I hope your own is improved.
My dear boy, I have some advice for you; I do hope that you will take it as it is intended-as from an old friend and tutor who wishes you only well.
It has come to my attention that you are—shall we say—prostituting your talents. A friend of mine who works at the War Office tells me that you are doing some mathematical work by correspondence-something to do with cannon, I believe?
Now, I quite understand that you are in a somewhat precarious financial position, and believe me, I deeply sympathise with you. I know that the earning of a few pounds can mean a great deal to you in furthering your education.
I do not say that such work is menial,
Sincerely,
Ballister-ffoulkes
21 November 1666
Cambridge
My dear Isaac,
Your paper has arrived. I haven’t had time to look it over yet, but I shall find time to peruse it during the forthcoming holidays. I am, of course, very interested in what problems concerned you during the summer.
A very merry Christmas to you, my boy.
Is. Barrow
22 November 1666
FROM: Ballistics Research Dept.,
British Army Artillery
TO: Isaac Newton, A.B.,
Woolsthorpe
SUBJECT: Ballistics research data.
ENCLOSURE: Range table sample for 9 lb. artillery.
2nd ENCLOSURE: Outline and general discussion of ballistics 1. In order to better understand the problems facing this Department, you will familiarise yourself with the enclosed material.
2. This material is confidential, and is not to be allowed to fall into unauthorised hands.
By order of the Commanding General
SECOND ENCLOSURE
The purpose of this project is to determine, with as great a degree of precision as possible, the range of artillery used by His Majesty’s Armed Forces, and the methods of accurately firing upon targets at various distances from the cannon.
After a great deal of research, the following factors have been found to affect the distance which a cannon ball may be hurled by exploding gunpowder:
1. Weight of the cannon ball.
2. Weight of powder used.
3. Angle of elevation of cannon.
4. Length of cannon barrel.
The first two factors are obvious; the heavier the cannon ball, the more powder it will take to blow it a certain distance, and contrariwise.
The third is somewhat unwieldly to work with and definitely problematical in its effects. Up to a certain point, increasing the angle seems to increase the range, but after that point is reached, an increase in elevation decreases the range of the weapon. In view of this, it has been decided that all cannon will be fixed at the best angle for maximum range and the other factors varied to change the actual distance the cannon ball is fired.
(Here it may be noted, incidentally, that the angle of elevation is of no use in the Royal Navy, since that angle is indeterminate, due to the roll of the ship.)
The fourth factor, too, may be discarded, since a barrel of too great a length would make it unwieldy on the battlefield, although those of fixed fortresses could be somewhat greater. And, in view of the fact that changing the length of a cannon barrel on the field is out of the question, we may safely say that the fourth factor is a fixed quantity in each cannon and thus ignore it.
It has, therefore, been decided to test each of the various types of cannon presently in use by Army Artillery and publish for each a range table for various cannon balls and charges of powder, and to furnish a copy of such table to the battery leader of each field piece.
This programme, as may well be imagined, has required a great deal of cannon testing in the past year, and will undoubtedly require a great deal more before the project is finished. We hope, however, that it will be of at least limited use in the very near future, and will eventually greatly advance the science of cannon-firing.
2 January 1667
My dear Isaac,
Your Christmas was, I trust, a pleasant one? I hope your mother is in good health, and I hope your own is improved.
My dear boy, I have some advice for you; I do hope that you will take it as it is intended-as from an old friend and tutor who wishes you only well.
It has come to my attention that you are—shall we say—prostituting your talents. A friend of mine who works at the War Office tells me that you are doing some mathematical work by correspondence-something to do with cannon, I believe?
Now, I quite understand that you are in a somewhat precarious financial position, and believe me, I deeply sympathise with you. I know that the earning of a few pounds can mean a great deal to you in furthering your education.
I do not say that such work is menial,
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